Skirmish To Hell (TK/SO Skirmish of SJC Krant)

[Darth Ophidia]

Tsis'kaar vs. Silver Jedi Concord​

The Silver Jedi Order have stood long and steadfast against the dark forces, but some evil is too deep and too primal to be vanquished. In the deepest recesses of the galaxy, there are places where dark and evil things lie well beyond the reach of the light. And as long as there is life, there will be those who seek out the darkness for their nefarious purposes.

Krant - An unassuming world near the border of the Silver Jedi Concord. Yet, it has a surprisingly heavy presence of Concord soldiers. Their station there is not random or arbitrary, and neither is the interest of the Sith.

On Krant there is a forest of dark and twisted wood, infested with corrupted creatures of the dark that hunt and marr the living. Deep within this forest is a place called Quiphoth, where the dark side grows particularly thick around the cave known as the Precepts Chamber. There, our material universe blends with the Netherworld realm of Chaos.

It is a portal to hell.

The Tsis’kaar, being one of the three factions that constitute the Sith Order, have recruited allies and set off to assault Krant with a dual purpose:

To assault the city of Le’Roche, sowing death and discord on their borders as a test of their defensive capabilities, and as revenge for their interference and continued opposition to the Sith’s resurgence. No doubt the Jedi will come running when they see the fires we set, and their soldiers will march on our assault.

This opens up our second objective: To reach Quiphoth, to find the hellish portal and claim powers from the land of the dead. The Dark Lady claims to have allies in Chaos that will grant great boons should they reach the portal. However, the journey is treacherous, there are sithspawn abound, and the Silver Shadows must be watching.

Now

The Dark Lady’s own vessel, the Eidolon, floated over Krant under the guise of its cloaking as the Sith and their henchmen assumed their places. Time was short, so they had to be effective in their assault and withdrawal, lest they be overwhelmed by the Concord. Their attack would be brutal, and their withdrawal swift.

Along with the Eidolon had come a number of older but functional stealth ships. While the Eidolon and its consorts assaulted La’Roche, these cloaked vessels swept out to their select objectives, be that mayhem or a journey to the mouth of hell.

The Dark Lady of the Sith, Darth Ophidia, was on board one of the cloaked ships on its way to Quiphoth. The Dark Lady sat on her knees near the ship’s rear, and had done so for a while. Her eyes were half closed and her hands rested in her lap. It looked as though she was asleep or perhaps even dead, but none dared check. Then, suddenly, her eyes parted to reveal the irises of molten iron. Even with her presence so subdued, the sensation of her eyes upon one’s flesh was like a searing iron.

“We are here.”

Her voice cut the silence as she turned her head to the cockpit where a mirialan pilot was preparing the ship for landing.

Darth Strosius Darth Malum of House Marr Adeline Noctua Khamesi Aivar
Matsu Ike Travot Ravenna @SJC

#FightMe!

 

[Darth Moskvin]

Call M3 Lttle Sun5h1ne
-by Ghost-

Location: Ask Nicely
Objective: Shhh, dont ask again less you wish to lose a tongue
Gear: Staff of the Damned / Talisman of the Witch / Magical Gems / Bow of Immolation
Familiar: Archimedes
Tags: Open​

Flying,I once heard was a nightmare. And being a nightmare myself, I have nothing but white knuckles gripping and fangs biting productively on my lower lip as this metal tomb cruised in a downward nosedive toward the surface closing in on me like an anxiety filled street walker. Hissing, I embraced my dead body with the "nice to meet you" impact as Archie kept squawking about some immoral throttle. Looking down, not of acknowledging the fowl was right, but out of shutting Ariche up, I saw the throttle he spoke of. Hmm. Gripping the stick with dual skeleton descriptive hands, I pulled out in time (he he) and slowly crashed into an unknown region.

"Ok Archie,I spat before slamming a fist into the ship's viewport, only to find amusement whilst watching the screen fracture into a symbol of spider webs. My cold, dead heart almost cried as those memories of knobbie spiders skulking back home came to life within that cracking fractures. For one brief moment, I wondered why I was here: 'till Archie nipped my neck. Jerk! His bite wasn't one of sadistic foreplay as the tongues of demons flickered about: fire for those that missed the reference. When the viewport shattered Archie flew out leaving me still buckled in my seat, as the tongues grew hotter and closer. Archie is not of the chivalrous type, and if he was: I would unfriend him. I hate heroes more than I hate....uhm...never mind.

"Archie....you bastard! How dare you leave me and return with food in your mouth....is that....wait! You share now, Archie! You share!"

 

[Darth Strosius]

Objective: Reach Quiphoth
Equipment: Lightsaber, Dagger, Armor
Tags: Darth Ophidia

​

The Silver Jedi Concord were not an enemy that Alisteri himself had faced often. But regardless of what banner they fought under, a Jedi was still a Jedi and as such could still be felled. Besides, he had no concerns for his own safety or for the mission's in general. Not when his master herself was at the head of it all.

He even had the rare privilege of accompanying her on their journey to...somewhere. As usual Darth Ophidia had been vague but assertive about the details of their mission here. They were meant to probe the Jedi and test their response but at the same time they were after a specific place, somewhere that apparently had allies and promised power if they managed to reach it. Of course he hadn't questioned what power or allies they sought whenever his master had told them of the plan. He knew better.

Alisteri focused on keeping his presence muted and hidden much like his master did as the stealth ship entered the planet's atmosphere. The pilot was a familiar face but given the mission he had no chance to reminisce or converse, not when they had work to do. He perked up from his spot on the floor as his master spoke and he was quick to get to his feet.

Whatever lied ahead, he was as prepared as he could be.

 

[Percival Io]

Objective: Dispel the Silver Shadows
Tags: OPEN

Percival first encountered the Jedi in the middle of a swamp. The ground beneath his feet was muddy, sucking at his boots with every step, and the sky overhead was so overcast, it produced a darkness close to that of twilight.

Three Silver Shadows suddenly appeared, leaping out of cover with their lightsabers drawn. While it was they who launched an ambush, he had the element of surprise. The Jedi had heard that the Sith were coming, and they expected to deal with Dark Siders, not a Chaplain Neutralizer.

As the battle began, they quickly realized their mistake. Percival was a void in the Force; they couldn't predict his movements, couldn't influence him with their powers. Their lightsabers shorted out when they attempted to lop off his limbs. He impaled one Shadow on his sword, while the other two quickly backed off.

"What are you?" one of them asked. He was a male Twi'lek with blue skin, a Jedi Master judging by his age. "Are you a Sith? Identify yourself."

"You know what I am," Percival snarled, his lips pulled back from his teeth and hazel eyes narrowed to slits.

"A Neutralizer!" the other Jedi hissed. She was a female Mirialan with a smattering of diamond-shaped tattoos across her cheekbones.

"Has House Io joined with the Sith, then? Has what we always expected finally come to pass?"

With a roar of rage, Percival launched into a brutal assault upon them both, his black blade dripping blood like rubies upon gleaming obsidian.

 

[Adeline Noctua]

Equipment | In Bio
Location | Krant
Tag | Darth Ophidia Darth Malum of House Marr Darth Moskvin Darth Strosius @SJC

When she had first heard of this, it seemed only a simple choice to tag along when offered. Now she could both get more combat experience against the very thing she hated the most, and also keep tabs on the Tsis'kaar.

For now, her sights would need to be set on getting to learn more of Ophidia's plan. Aiding the Tsis'kaar for now would only benefit both parties, besides.. Not like she could report any findings right now, if lord Empyrean had sent forces to aid in this little skirmish... It would be obvious that someone had snitched, for now her lips stayed shut.

Adeline lands her own cloaked vessel near where Ophidia was just now landing, her crimson eyes also catch a glimpse of someone she did indeed know. Her fellow scholar, Alisteri. As both him and his master emerged from their vessel, she gives them a curtsy to be respectful.

"Alisteri! Hello once again!"

She was actually rather excited to see him, the both of them never met all too much, but the times that they did the day would be spent with both of them nerding over studies and notes.

"Also a pleasure, lord Ophidia. I look forward to seeing what all we can get our hands on while we are here."

Adeline adorns her face with a soft smile, keeping her senses to a fine tune in order to detect any lurking threats.

Open to fight​

 

[Travot Ravenna]

Objective: Defend Le'Roche
Allies: SJC
Enemies: Darth Ophidia | Darth Moskvin | Adeline Noctua
Assets: Personal equipment (see signature below) - elements of a Circarpous Sector Infantry Regiment helping to garrison the town

"That's really there's all to see here, really, honest Master Jedi."

Travot raised an eyebrow at the soldier. As much as the jedi would have preferred to be ranging in the outer reaches of the known galaxy, sometimes duty took him to the more mundane, like the city of Le'Roche. On the outside, it did seem spectacularly boring: a sleepy city on the coast whose two pillars of economy were commercial fishing and handling a modicum of the local sector's trading. He could think of several dozen cities within a hundred light years of equal, almost insignificant importance.

Yet the Force called him here.

And he did not know why.

The large man furrowed his brow as he contemplated this latest mystery of the Force. But why is it so persistent? He turned back to his ship once already, yet whatever it was continued to draw him back to the very spot on top of a high duracrete wall. Wind whipped around him and tugged at his robe, causing its lower edges to flutter. Again, he found his right hand unconsciously resting on top of the cold silver hilt of his lightsaber. He couldn't help but wonder if that too was yet another unconscious sign of the Force trying to warn him of something, even if it was veiled to him now. The jedi turned his eyes from the distant mountains and forest back to the black-armored soldier in front of him.

"Where are you from, sergeant?"

"Gyndine...Yractos if you really want to know."

Travot nodded, "One of the larger cities on your world?"

"The largest."

"Ever get the feeling when you're there that someone's watching you, maybe from a dark alley or from behind a window?"

"Yes."

"I'm starting to get something like that feeling now. Something is about to happen here, but I'm not sure what, and I'm not sure where. Tell you men to keep an eye out for anything unusual..."

"Yes Master Jedi."

(OOC Note: Depending on SJC turnout, I'll be happy to take on several of you guys, if you don't mind dealing with a number of NPC troopers as part of it)

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum stood silently, leaning against a wall with his eyes closed, sharing within the space both his Mistress, Darth Ophidia, and her former apprentice, Alisteri Haxim, the veritable Tsis'Kaar family if there ever was one, and for a family activity, all had deployed Force Stealth around themselves. One might have considered that unneeded with how the ship was constructed, its ability to stealth would remove its physical presence from any physical eyes. Unfortunately, the presence of those on the ship would still shine like beacons to those who could see without eyes, especially when those beacons shined with darkened energy, a cancer to those of the Light. Particularly important to hide his presence when they were about to enter the metaphorical belly of the beast, a planet that seemed to radiate the presence of the fools of the Light.

Yet another mission that his Mistress had called him to, another which distracted him from his Holocron Quest, but another which garnered no complaint from him, both his Mistresses and Alisteri's presence here already revealed that whatever they were doing here, it would be one which was worth doing. Indeed, any opportunity to strike at the Jedi was a worthwhile one.

With one set of eyes closed, another set was open, shadowed eyes of an invisible figure who stalked the lands unknown. First, he found a fight between a Sith and three Jedi, his real scrunched for a moment in worry, before the Shadow confirmed that the Sith had the upper hand in the fighting. Questions emerged from Malum, but questions went unanswered, was this some advanced force attacking the exterior reconnaissance of the landing point before their arrival? Possible, but also something he could not be certain of. Indeed, letting the question pass, yet another pondered him, why did he feel such a strange aura pulse from him?

No aura.

That was certainly something to look into.

His shadow continued to move, moving beyond the swamp in faster than light speeds, before arriving at yet another vista of interest. It took squinting to notice, but the brief flutter, the brief flicker, with his focused view was all that it took, it seemed that a stealthed ship had landed, advance forces for the main Tsis'Kaar assault? Possibly, but the sight of the platinum-haired Sangnir that had continued to take his breath away, took away those thoughts rather quickly. Other than Alisteri, he was unaware of any other Sangnir that were part of the Tsis'Kaar, though it was curious enough that this specific Sangnir was here. Another move by his Mistresses' design? Or was she not aware of her presence at all?

Questions to be answered soon enough.

Finally, the shadow moved again, arriving towards the nearest point of settled civilisation closest to their landing point. Though Malum was confident enough of the invisibility of his Shadow by this stage, his old withered documents had mentioned something which kept him at guard. Particularly powerful 'Je'daii' had in the past been able to see the Shadows, though unable to truly perceive what they were, instead mistaking them for visions. He was not about to reveal himself and the incoming Tsis'Kaar so soon, thus had the Shadow stayed far from the exterior of the town. But that was close enough to be concerned about what he saw, for a town of this size... why did their defenses seem so readied... and indeed... reinforced?

Had they been had?

Had they been betrayed?

Had they been detected?

It was hard to imagine that the woman who was known for her ability to be covert had been detected so soon before the mission had even started. Yet as it stood, he had no confirmation of anything, and thus he could not panic over unconfirmed theories, indeed, with her as his superior, all he could do was relay what he had found, and his Mistress could do with it what she would.

The Force Shadow dispelled as back to his real form, the hairs on the back of his neck perked up.

"We are here."

Indeed they were, and what better time to relay intelligence than now? He left the wall, and as he stood up straight, there would be no slouching when referring to his Mistress, that was one way to replay the events of Fiviune, but this time allow her to go forth with her promise to kill.

"It seems Lady Noctua is on the planet and by the looks, is awaiting us," His stomach was doing summersaults, just the mention of her name by himself had turned them to knots, and placed a weight on his chest, this was proving more and more problematic every time he met her, well, at least there would be no repeating of his stroke at first sight of her, "The settlement we are landing near looks to be well fortified, and from the looks... is being reinforced." The concern was plainly evident in his voice, as he marched behind Darth Ophidia, side by side with Alisteri, his red eyes, stealing a sideways glance at his masked face, as they left the vehicle, and touched down on the planet.

To whatever awaited them.

The sudden dryness of his mouth was likely due to the air, certainly not his red eyes finding the Sangnir.

Oh, this would certainly be a problem, wouldn't it?

Allies: Darth Ophidia Darth Strosius Adeline Noctua Percival Io Darth Moskvin @Open
Opposition: Travot Ravenna @Open

 

[Darth Moskvin]

Call M3 Lttle Sun5h1ne
-by Ghost-

Location: Lost
Objective: Somewhere In Time
Gear: Staff of the Damned / Talisman of the Witch / Magical Gems / Bow of Immolation
Familiar: Archimedes
Tags: Darth Malum of House Marr / Adeline Noctua / Travot Ravenna​

In Hindsight....I should have explained to dear 'ol Archie the by standing understanding of hunting for a vampire. His meaning was commendable...but I can't digest flesh; living or dead. Simply blood. So, in a state of angst, I watched Archie feast about some rodent whilst I figured out a way to remove this buckle of restraints. I like to tell people, and on most occasions believe it myself, I'm far smarter than an inanimate object: like a seat buckle. Now, I don't if my hell-colored nails were a problem, or the fact I was hungry and was forced to watch Archie eat with undaunted passion, that this blasted seatbelt would refuse to divorce me. Hell, I'm a cheater....so please seat belt: divorce already!

Alas! Freedom was granted. That cruel seat belt finally gave in, and I was free to roam around: still aimlessly. I was truly a Stranger in a Strange Land: but there was a familiar smell perfuming nearby. A few steps later, caught a most beautiful sight of farmer and son. My fangs quivered, my tummy slightly rumbled. Overhead, I saw Archie floating ghostly about, relaying a message to him via our link to hold back: These were mine. Stalking like a dead, cold manifestation of a child's night terror; I felt quickly on farmer and son!

Twisting the body of the farmer in circles; I nearly spun him into a body dismemberment before sinking my fangs into that thick, pulsating vein. I drained him. I tasted him. I loved his taste. Casting the husk to the side, my golden, undead vampiric eyes turned to the boy.... of six. Young children, I've heard, taste the best. Thier blood is so much pleasurable than that of a villain. That first drop, I heard, will send a Sangir into a frenzy of madness, erupting them into their war form without control. But I would never know. I murder for pleasure. I eat who I want. But believe or not, I don't kill kids. So, with a sorry...and a bloody tear running down my cheek for the understanding this newly born orphan watched me murder his father; I gave him the only gift I could bestow. I gave him his life. And now....it was time, with a full belly, find where I belonged in this incursion.

[

 

[Talisa Io]

Wearing: Chaplain's Raiment (Armorweave Catsuit)

Armed with: Citizen Energy Sword

House Io Stormtroopers (21)

Equipment:
House Io Stormtrooper Blaster Rifle (14)
Civil Defense Laser Disruptor (3)
House Io Sniping Launcher (2)
Assault Radiation Repeating Blaster (2)
Type 007 Thermal Detonator (2, Everyone)
Detonation Packs (4)
Citizen Energy Sword, Type 2 (Everyone)
House Io Stormtrooper Armor (Everyone)

House Io Mercenary (21)
A280-CFE (All)
Dauntless Blade (All)
Ion Grenades

Black Knights of Io (2)
Black Knight Katana
Black Knight Shinobi Armor
Smoke Bombs
Firecrackers
Zenji Needles

Objective: Assault the City


They had filed out of their own stealth ship, landing close to a settlement that was being built up.

They moved through the woods, patiently. The two Shinobi they had brought served as scouts.

Talisa was excited. Excited to take the fight to the House's enemies, and the House had a special hatred for the SJC, repeatedly attacking and assassinating their members, even being directly responsible for destroying the Original Silver Rest, a blow even the Sith Order hadn't managed: Humiliating them in the heart of their own territory through sheer savagery.

House Io had put out its feelers and, given that its leader had tirelessly supported the Sith during the Third Imp Civil War, had been invited.

It was an invitation graciously accepted.

Talisa was here to lead the faithful to glory.

One of the Black Knights, flagged her down. Everyone spoke in Khemostian Sign Language. Xiphos had mandated every citizen be able to understand it

Sentries, 3 ahead. 2 Mortar nests. he told her. Two Jedi talking to each other by a guy at a tower.

Dispatch the Jedi Talisa ordered, turning to one of the members of House Io's newly minted Stormtrooper Corps. Their armor design had that familiar stormtrooper white but the helmets were very ifferent in shape, a single large targeting monocle mounted on the front.

Take out the Mortar Nests and Sentries

The Trooper, a Captain, nodded and directed both his Grenadiers and designated Marksman into position, The Mercenary B1's got into position at another point to assault the enemy perimeter.

At her signal, the Marksmen command fired their very quiet Laser Disruptors, instantly killing the sentries, while the Grenadiers launched their rail gun driven grenade rounds and destroyed the Mortar nests in a fiery explosion, heavily damaging the part of the Perimeter that had had the most work done on it so far.

Talisa flew forward using her built in repulsor organs, one of the Black Knights surprising, ambushing, and rapidly killing the two Jedi by himself in a blitz attack before they both moved on, conjuring walls of illusory fire to confuse the enemy as the perimeter came under full heavy assault. Talisa was already on the inside, slicing up soldiers.

"DEATH TO THE SJC!" she yelled as half the Stormtroopers followed her, the other half going to attack a seperate section of the perimeter with the Mercenary Droids, taking up a position and laying down covering fire with one of their Repeating Radioactive Blasters, green bolts searing through the air as a Sniping Launcher was fired repeatedly at a high Duracrete wall, tearing large holes into it with each impact. All the better for the invaders to assault.

Percival Io

Darth Moskvin

Darth Ophidia

Darth Malum of House Marr

Travot Ravenna

 

[NPC's]

Then

"Dude why are we here?" The voice came from one of the Paladins who was looking over the town that had insisted on staying.. they had managed to create some form of defensive measures... the jungle twisted and close enough they could still be attacked by things but the jedi had pushed back the worse of it. Now it was just a matter of getting the people to understand the danger of what they were living next to. "We are here because the jedi don't like the idea of saturation bombing a dimensional hole to the depths of their hell." It was sarcastic yes but somewhat true... the other looked at him and frowned before pointing. "No I mean if the silver shadows are here why are we here?"

There was a look and the comparatively different dressed ones who were there stood out among the others... paladins and jedi in the concord. "Well the silver shadows aren't really recognized by the grandmaster and are here in force trying to likely show they are important. Big problem with that is.... the grandmaster has jedi shadows in the old sense.... at their sealed temple. These ones are just here." He said it and taking the time to explain the difference took time, more the rare internal workings. "Just don't worry about them, as the grandmaster said if you want to have codenames, attack people with dark abilities and appoint a head of your group. Go and find a place that will take you."

Another look. "And that place is Krant?" Nods. "I never said they were the brightest, seems more designed to be edgy and an excuse to be thugs under the colors of the jedi which we get to deal with. So we'll deal with it, who knows this could be an exciting time we have more units coming in to help reinforce the areas outside to keep the things from attacking we might actually get to sleep without the horrible screams of the creatures killing each other in that hellscape."

Now

The feelings were there... the valeyard had spent time here on the world... mostly in a cave she had managed to clear out... the thicker things that were created in the sea not able to get in and the smaller things were well slow moving or something that wasn't nearly as lethal to you. Bottom feeders going after the scrapes left behind. So she had meditated and used the white flare to make a barrier around herself while the black current sustained her through the darkness of this place. Preserving her body enough that she could feel the explosions and attacks stirring the things... she had taken to thinking of them like furless ewoks... small, basic tools and they attacked and ate anything even darksiders.

The children on the other hand.. many of them had been killed by the jedi but there were always more... dangers of the world aside this was a place of thoughts more then reality and the twisted bodies that made gnarled roots the deeper you went... the countless faces twisted in agony that were the seabed of that things.... she shuddered as the spirit that was there... the thing the knotters they called themselves summoned and worshiped... it was not a person anymore it was considering itself the mother of the sithspawn. This caave, this layer of chaos as the jedi had called it her womb to birth monsters that were only found in nightmares.

Whoever was attacking and riling the things up though would likely have a rude awakening... there were larger and more horrible things the deeper into the forest you came and the deeper into the cave the more it became clear this wasn't a place you were supposed to come. Quiphoth wasn't good for light or dark which only served to twist much more if they touched the viscous liquid of the internal sea.

(given I greatly dislike pvp but want to support Darth Ophidia who came and tried to work on the idea. I'll set up environmental things...)

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Wearing: Interceptor Gear

Armed with: Mercenary Slugthrower

Citizen Energy Sword

Arrived in: Aurek Fighter

A rare chance to get away from Epica.

He had saved up his money, and had decided to head to a planet named Krant, as it was where he had spent his honeymoon with Lysandra when they had first married.

He had stopped in La Roche first. He had never heard of the place. Must have sprung up after he died. He was still in the dark about much of the new era. He didn't care who the major factions were. He didn't care about anyone around him.

Nathan walked the streets of the small settlement, his expression a frozen one of perpetual grimness. His black biker clothes stood out amidst the crowds of others in lighter clothing, a black splotch in a peaceful community.

The crowd instinctively avoided the frozen faced man, his naturally handsome looks not enough for even those who fancied such things to try approaching when they saw the frost , the terrible frost, in his gaze.

Al that concerned him was reaching the spot where he had enjoyed a few days of peace and quiet.

As he walked the streets, He heard someone try and catch his attention by hissing at him.

"Psssss!"

Nathan's head swiveled unnaturally in the direction of a man in a hooded trenchcoat, with a bandana over his face in an alley.

"You look like you're up to no good, mate. Don't suppose I can be of service?" the hooded man asked.

"Depends." Nathan answered coldly. "Your service?"

The man opened his coat, and showed a variety of melee weapons.

"Finest cutters on the colony, sir!"

Nathan's eye fell on a strange looking one, a hilt with no blade.

"How did 'you' find a Lightsaber, Cutthroat?"

"Eh! Oh no! This ain't no Lightsaber, Mate...but it's the next best thing..."

The man bid him follow him deeper into the alley. Nathan did, hand on his pistol.

The man took out the hilt and switched it on, a flat, double edged purple blade of energy that let off a hum like an electric razor.

"It's a House Io Sword..."

"Who are they?"

"Buncha maniacs with a hatred for Jedi. This sword of theirs can resist damn near any melee weapon, including Lightsabers. But it has weight when it's turned on and only the cutting power of a vibrosword with a level 3 cell."

Nathan's interest was peaked.

"How much?"

"Well these things are kinda at a premium...but I like your face..."

"You're not the first, unfortunately."

"Five hundred creds and it's yours. Oh, a, full disclosure 'fore you buy: Don't go running around with it in the open: Locals 'round 'ere might be liable to think you's one 'a' them."

"I'll keep it in mind. Schematics?"

"Sorry mate...these things are scavenged direct from the battlefield. You'd have to get a scanner if you want an idea of how it works."

"Fine. Gimme." Nathan said in bored manner, handing over the credits. "This had better work..."

"Thank 'ye kindly!" the hooded man said, handing him the weapon.

"Weirdo." Nathan muttered, pocketing the weapon and heading out to where that field of flowers had once been.

Later on...


It was a swamp now. Stinking and fetid, like so much of his life.

He walked through the driest parts, trying to find some semblance of what he remembered. But it was warped beyond recognition.

Nathan gave no reaction to this realization other than to lean against a tree, head hung down, grim expression unyielding before deciding to walk a little further anyway, out of morbid curiosity more than anything else now.

He heard the laughing of Darth Phyre in his skull and clutched his head, stumbling over something at the exact same time. He stopped, realizing it was an old corpse in stormtrooper armor, clutching a DLT-19 Heavy Blaster Rifle.

He knelt down and pried it from the corpses hand, inspecting it. Half full. Or half empty, depending on how you viewed things. Looked intact.

Nathan decided to take it, fitting it's makeshift sling over his shoulder as he journeyed deeper, not knowing what he would find.

The sound of Lightsabers in the distance caught his ear and though his first instinct was to walk the other way, he heard a cry of pain and for some reason was compelled to go deeper, to the source.

What he saw made him actively grimace, watching a strange man impale a Jedi and kill him before brutally attacking two others.

Nathan strode in, almost mechanical in how he swiveled the heavy blaster to aim, making sure he wouldn't hit the Jedi by accident when he fired.

"Hey pretty boy..." Nathan growled, firing at Percival Io

 

[Percival Io]

After battering down the defenses of the Mirialan Jedi, Percival slew her with a slash to her neck that was too fast for her to block. The Twi'lek Master came at him from the rear, throwing a sharp chunk of wood at him like a spear. It stabbed into Percival's back like a knife, but the Chaplain simply whirled around and kept fighting, untroubled by pain.

Lightsaber crashed against sword as the duel raged on. The Jedi Master was a formidable opponent, but he was fighting with an ineffective weapon against a tireless opponent. Luckily, help came in the form of a third party with a gun. He just had to survive long enough for the newcomer to get a shot in...

The bolt from Nathan's blaster tore through the fetid air of the swamp, boiling gases along the way before striking the side of Percival's face. The Chaplain whirled around to face his new enemy. Molten energy had burned part of his jaw off, leaving it hanging slack on one side amid blackened tissue and silver gore.

Not so pretty now.

"Keep shooting!" the Jedi Master shouted, beginning an exhausted retreat. "Get him while you can!"

Percival's gaping maw let loose a sudden sonic scream toward Nathan, spitting blood and splintering the rotting trees stumps in his path.

Nathan Bloodscrawl​

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Whatever it is, it's fast, Nathan thought to himself after watching Percival Io kill another Jedi, this one a Mirialan woman. One left.

What the hell are you doing?! This is not your fight! a little voice in the back of his head said.

But as he watched the Mirialan woman fall, he was reminded of Lysandra.

"It's my fight." he said to himself under his breath.

The biker clad man's grim expression didn't change as the Sonic wave tore through the woods to reach him and he barely evaded it, the tip of the wave only catching and destroying part of his sleeve, and causing a scorching effect on his shoulder and part of his face. He hit the swamp ground firing through stinking mud, this time in burst mode at his unknown opponent, not sure what the hell he was dealing with that could kill two Jedi and send another--a master-- into full retreat.

But he had no fear, regardless.

He would kill this thing of the Sith, to honor his dead wife's memory.

 

[Travot Ravenna]

Objective: Defend Le'Roche
Allies: SJC | NPC's | Nathan Bloodscrawl ?
Enemies: Darth Ophidia | Darth Moskvin | Adeline Noctua | Talisa Io | Darth Malum of House Marr
Assets: Personal equipment (see signature below) - elements of a Circarpous Sector Infantry Regiment helping to garrison the town

The large man crouched down and peered at the dark swathes of flora and nearby fields. If he had been a more traditional jedi, he probably would have sat down crossed legged and tried to meditate. But as he learnt the hard way in dozens of jungles, forests, and mountains in the Outer Rim, sitting down cross legged wasn't the easiest position to immediately recover or move from. He increasing began to feel the presence of the dark side of the Force at work.

Things didn't feel right, they didn't feel natural.

Travot was not one who inherently had a great talent for sensing disturbances in the Force. Those skilled in the art of concealing their presence in the Force, if not a mere padawan or apprentice, could probably pass by him with Travot none the wiser. Yet unskilled as Travot was, some things were being done that didn't seem to be concealed - the abrupt demise of a farmer and the emotions enjoyed by the vampire were not specific things that the man could immediately deduce or figure out - but they were unnatural ripples within the currents of the Force. A pervading sense of aggressiveness began to seep through the currents of the Force too - a feeling he had not felt since his last fight against remnants of the Bryn'adul Empire.

And then the explosions began as House Io personnel began their attack, shattering any illusion or second guesses that nothing was amiss. Travot sprang into action, quickly breaking out into a dash as he headed towards the sites of the explosion and new weapon's fire. He noted one of the base's weapon's emplacements had been turned into a charred fire pit. But already, scattered fire from the rotating Circarpous Sector Infantry resounded back to the attackers from angle as disparate as the side of large trash cannister on the city street to the upper levels of the fire escape on the city's tallest building. The defending fire started out as sporadic, but would increasing become more concentrated and in greater strength as the soldiers moved to intercept and block the defenders. But wherever it was in the city, the regiment's tactics were very much the same, fire back from concealed positions, and then move to a new location under the watchful eye and covering fire of other friendly elements within the regiment. Tactical probes began to flit and flutter between buildings, looking to gather targeting information for their squads or at least ensure certain pathways were safe to move through. His gauntlet comlink buzzed as trooper comm traffic began to flood the airwaves.

"I've got visuals on the enemies - they appear to be wearing some sort of standardized armor...not the New Imperial Order or the Bryn'adul though-"

"It looks like at least one of them has a disruptor-"

"Something's shooting these weird green energy bolts...anybody have a clue as to what they are?"

Travot's mind ignored the surroundings around them as he bounded past them as he focused on piecing the information filtering through the com channels. What was being described so far matched at least half a dozen organizations that he knew about in the galaxy, but one immediately came to the forefront of his mind: House Io - largely because of its attack on the Silver Rest. He frowned. But why attack here? Krant wasn't exactly the most strategic world within the Concord, though its location in the backwaters of the Concord's territory did make it a relatively lightly defended target. He soon found himself drawn to thickest of the battle - at least it was currently judging by the volume of fire he was hearing. Squads of Circarpous Sector Infantry seemed to be converging on the point too, and Travot suddenly found himself at the forefront of one such squad as it moved towards an access control point that had found itself under assault by House Io stormtroopers and other personnel. Using their underslung grenade launchers, several of the troopers accompanying him fired off a smattering of Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades over the walls and into the enemy's general vicinity, acting almost like mortars before the group dispersed to take concealed fighting positions in preparation for the enemy assault. Yet Travot continued forward to directly confront his foes, even though he slowed down in the process. He drew his saber in the process and ignited it as he passed through an entryway and into defensive positions that House Io had destroyed in their initial assault. With his free left hand, the jedi reached into the shattered ruins and whipped a cloud of crumbled duracrete and twisted durasteel rebar flying into the House Io attackers while he searched them for their leader.

 

[Talisa Io]

There was no comm chatter unless necessary.

"Hostiles, converging from ten o'clock. Drones." One House Stormtrooper noted.

Local defense. Guerilla trained. House Io Stormtroopers, unlike normal Stormtroopers, focused almost exclusively on waging Guerilla Warfare, due to the fact their faction was often outnumbered in the field.

The Stormtroopers chose to pull back as the flamestrike grenades landed close by, staying behind destroyed rubble, two opening fire while others withdrew at fast approaching reinforcements, managing to kill some with their explosive blasterbolts. The Stormtroopers were very good shots, made all the better by the supreme accuracy of the rifles they carried.

The Designated Marksman spotted the Tactical Probes and began firing at them, downing some to try and blind one, though, one of the Stormtroopers took the first hit in the chest, being dragged away though the smoke, though he seemed to still be alive, even able to fire back somewhat despite being injured. One Grenadier destroyed the wall to a building, killing the soldiers that had been massing on the other side via his sniping launcher.

Two Stormtroopers were killed when Travot Ravenna managed to hurl debris at them, and three survivors, some who were still behind cover, pulled back and fired their explosive bolts at him and the ones following him...

Talisa, for her part, had begun to engage the Sector Infantry close to him, merciless in her use of her Energy sword to brutally engage and then slice apart her attackers, employing her Bio Organic ARC Caster to viciously cook sector infantryman alive when she wasn't using her Tractor-Pressor Organ to catch and hurl back more grenades hurled her way, or to break necks through concentrated use when she got the transmission that another Jedi was in the area, and immediately began fighting and killing her way to Ravenna.

Meanwhile, the secondary team of Stormtroopers and House Io Mercenary Droids had blasted through a completely different section of Le Roche, blitzing into the local area, The Droids were in first, moving at superhuman speed and shooting down sector infantry defenders even as some of them were engaged and shot down in turn. The Black Knight Shinobi conjured a massive tornado of illusory fire that caught the local infantry in that area off guard, and the Shinobi quickly took advantage, brutally gutting through them, as well as cruelly eviscerating a padawan.

The Stormtroopers took advantage, immediately scaling a building to reach a rooftop, where they set up their radiation repeating blaster and began gunning down more sector reinforcements and Probes, another grenadier lobbing thermal detonators to collapse certain sections of the streets to make it more difficult for enemy reinforcements to reach not just them, but Ravenna also. They had to lock down this part fast if the Sith attack that was to come was going to have a proper beach from which to inflict more damage. The fifteen remaining merc droids that had shown began clearing out local houses, making civilians run in a panic by firing into the air as they did.


OOC: Tried to make sense of what was going on. Have Lost six droids and three stormtroopers

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Strosius Adeline Noctua Darth Malum of House Marr Percival Io NPC's​

Fire and chaos, this was her plan.

Malum's intel was welcome, but it only confirmed what she had set in motion. Adeline had been quicker to the surface, but Ophidia's pilot had taken care to fly a less direct route that would complement their cloaking better. More had already made landfall and made their moves on the objectives: One section was to create a distraction in La'Roche, the other would delve into the mouth of hell.

There, she had debts to collect.

Their ship touched down and the Sith marched on to the marshy woods where Adeline were expecting them. At most she offered the sangnir a court nod of acknowledgement before speaking to the group.

"These woods will not be welcoming. Hatred is the nature of the dark side, and this place is bound to it." "It will test us, reject us, but we will not be denied."

She produced a golden coin in her hand and looked down at the intricate design. The two serpents that coiled like ouroboros on the coin's tail-side seemed to shift as she moved it, and the Dark Lady watched closely. Her eyes then lifted to inspect their surroundings.

"Quick and quiet, follow me."

Creatures warped by the Force was not their only challenge. There were those who watched these woods with intent to keep it their own, or keep it out of the hands of others. Neither would welcome them to this desolate place. The group moved with speed, and apprenticed or nay, those who fell behind were left behind for the darkness to claim.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Objective: Reach Quiphoth
Equipment: Lightsaber, Dagger, Armor
Tags: Darth Ophidia / Adeline Noctua / Darth Malum of House Marr / NPC's

​

"Let them reinforce all that they'd like, simple walls and guns can't stop the Sith." Admittedly that wasn't true, he had seen many Sith gunned down in his time, but they wouldn't be here long enough for those walls to matter. This time anyway. A proper invasion was yet to come, their probing attacks today would be the only grand moves that the Jedi had to deal with today.

Alisteri strode out of the ship on his master's left side, glancing around the forest that they had landed in. It was strange and felt even stranger, like all of his senses were set alight by just being there. He could already feel adrenaline pumping through his blood despite no present danger being apparent. How odd of a sensation it all was.

He was jarred from his introspection by a familiar voice and his gaze was quick to snap to the other Sangnir that they had met up with while he was lost in thought. "Ah Lady Adeline, a pleasure to see you again." Earlier he had noticed the brief apprehension in Malum's voice when noting the presence of the Sangnir but he thought little of it. Their kind wasn't exactly the most comforting of sights after all.

Alisteri merely nodded as his master spoke, casting another glance around at the dark trees that surrounded them, before pulling his lightsaber from his belt. No point in staying unarmed after all. He didn't activate the blade yet though, better to get deeper in before they got into any sort of conflict.

 

[Darth Moskvin]

Call M3 Lttle Sun5h1ne
-by Ghost-

Location: Lost
Objective: Somewhere In Time
Gear: Staff of the Damned / Talisman of the Witch / Magical Gems / Bow of Immolation
Familiar: Archimedes
Tags: Darth Malum of House Marr / Adeline Noctua / Travot Ravenna​

Those golden undead vampiric eyes of mine, you know that kind: turning innocent boys into toys of pleasure with one simple wink, scanned about the landscape, whilst Archie remained to pick and poach the last testament of the farmer's head I held in my left hand: announcing that death was coming.

"Quiet, Archie," my dark tone of voice communed to my only true friend. Friends are like graveyards; you can bury your secrets deep with the hope they keep stitched mouths silent. But any trained murder, serial killer, once I was detained and questioned over (innocent), knows it's only a matter of time some foolish individual comes cutting opening the caskets in the pursuit of riches or truth. I, personally, don't sleep in a casket: find the whole entombed aspect rather overplayed. But if I did, I could only imagine my stench of years of death would dance with the seances of a graverobber. But death is trivial to me. And speaking of stitched mouths: I adorably enjoy their tears both down the cheeks and their understanding watersheds: you're my toy to break. And break you I will. And raise you again to split you further apart. And that is statement only unraveled by my psychiatrist.

Now....I hear there are Jedi about, skulking in some kind of reverse emotional feelings: crybabies. To my own personal testimony and knowledge, I can't recall ever draining a Jedi of his life essence. But what I've heard around the drinking tables of the other Sith Lords, it's not their blood I shall find most nourishing: But their tears of failure. Yum!

 

[Travot Ravenna]

Objective: Defend Le'Roche
Allies: SJC | NPC's | Nathan Bloodscrawl ?
Enemies: Talisa Io | Darth Ophidia | Darth Moskvin | Adeline Noctua | Darth Malum of House Marr
Assets: Personal equipment (see signature below) - elements of a Circarpous Sector Infantry Regiment helping to garrison the town

In any conflict, there were advantages and disadvantages to being on the offensive and defensive respectively.

The trick, of course, was to maximize the inherent advantages of your position while minimizing the disadvantages of your own.

The CSIR troops worked that philosophy as close as they could under the watchful guidance of their distant commanders. Not as physically strong or as fast as many of their House Io opponents, the troops didn't stay or linger out much in the open, instead primarily taking static positions that offered concealment or physical cover. A CSIR soldier didn't need to be as strong or as fast as his opponent, he just needed to be better prepared and organized - aside from talented force users, few beings were gifted enough to outright dodge multiple sources of blaster bolts or shatter rounds. As House Io troops made their assault, those that exposed themselves would almost immediately draw fire from multiple prepared firing positions - open and fast assaults were certainly a possibility, but the CSIR troops would make it a costly one. As time went on, their positions would be organized with overlapping fields of fire and the ability to draw on a mobile reserve which would shunt fresh reinforcements to those areas already taking casualties.

But while CSIR commanders fretted and worried about such concerns (currently) safe and sound from their command center, Travot plunged into the thick of fight, determined to blunt the assault and buy time for a more organized defense of the city by the Concord and its allies....

*****
Combat against the merciless and overwhelming Bryn'adul during their push into the Concord's territory had channeled his combat style into something not very Jedi-like. With his right hand, he still wove blue lightsaber blade in tight arcs around him in the characteristic style of Soresu, deflecting shots and blocking attacks. But he used his left hand to focus a much more aggressive style of telekinetic warfare. Those that ran toward him, he gripped and pulled forward, sending the sentient among them flying past him and several meters into the air. Those weren't, like droids or beasts, found themselves pulled into the sizzling blade of his saber. Those that ran from him found themselves similarly "aided", plucked and flung into a direction of their choosing or knocked down with a prompt Force Push. Those that fired upon him found random objects coming right back at them at lethal velocities. Such techniques had allowed him to survive against the panoply of Bryn'adul and their genetic warbeast creations over dozens of battles on a handful of worlds, from the once idyllic jungle world of Sarka to a drizzling, miserable mudball of a world whose name Travot couldn't even recall anymore. Such unforgiving experiences had given him a sort of rhythmic tempo that had almost became sort of rout drill for the jedi guardian.

But every so often, something came along that interrupted that almost practiced dance, and one came towards him now: the chaplain.

Travot's eyes caught first caught of another being that at first appeared to be using the powers of a jedi, seemingly frying those who opposed her with electricity, seemingly using telekinetic powers to hurl objects away from her, and wielding an sort of shimmering blade. Yet a cursory probe through the Force told him that she was neither a jedi or a sith. That briefly made him curious, but he soon remembered having encountered several Antiope series Synthetic Soldiers in the recent past, droids meant to mimic many of the jedi's abilities. Often used as decoys by the SJC for real jedi, Antiopes could be used offensively as well. He didn't find it inconceivable that House Io or any number of organizations would attempt to make something similar, though he knew not what that exactly was.

But whoever or whatever it was appeared to be the most dangerous threat on the battlefield, which immediately drew his attention as she cut her way through to him.

Out of sheer habit, the jedi stretched out his left hand towards the chaplain, willing the Force to grab her and pull her towards his ever-moving lightsaber blade...